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Children of the Black Sky
Largely considered a nuisance throughout Valusia, members of Children of the Black Sky cult have been cropping up in nearly every major city. Also known as "Spider worshipers," members of this organization are generally despised for their deification of these would-be conquerors. Though their congregations are formed peacefully, their mere presence is often enough to incite non-affiliated citizens into anger. Doctrine First and foremost, the Child of the Black Sky are advocates for subjugation. They believe, without a doubt, that the Masters are the rightful rulers of Valusia, and even Tarth. They assert that the Spiders are the saviors of humanity and that the recent turbulence between the Kingdom and the Republic could have been avoided with the acceptance of the Masters' rule. In this time, cultists believe humanity should be spending its time preparing the land for their inevitable return and to avoid the mistakes made during the Evernight. Within their scriptures, cultists confidently claim that humanity is the result of the Masters' work; that humans were in fact their creation. To them, mankind was literally born beneath the black sky. Though this claim is unsubstantiated, it is the central aspect of their faith. It is also difficult to dispute as the creation of man has never been discussed in any of the ancient Dwarven or Elven texts. This troubling, and even disgusting notion is a source of heated debate and the cause of numerous violent outbursts. Despite being loathed by nearly everyone in Valusia, Spider cultists are docile and accepting of resentment. In their minds, the masses have yet to be awakened to the truth. They are, afterall, advocates of peaceful surrender and are more than willing to become martyrs for the cause. Cultists do not act in anger, do not intentionally incite dissenting voices to action, and do not fight back when provoked. Public Reception For the majority of Valusians, the pain of loss during the Evernight is still very fresh and the emergence of this Spider cult is often too great of a reminder. Different regions handle their congregations differently, though none openly welcome their message. Within the Kingdom of Solace, Spider worship is a criminal offense. Open congregations rarely occur and association with cultists is typically met with some form of legal repercussion. In Losston, Spider worship is not an illegal act, but known cultists are generally persuaded to move along without incident. Particularly stubborn cultists have been known to be escorted from the township proper by the town guard. Spider cultists are usually seen as traitors to humanity, and often treated as such. Though rarely condoned, violence against cultists is common occurrence. Deemed as fanatics, sympathetic parties are rare indeed though some do exist. In the scientific world, such sympathy is spawned from the study of the human psyche. Most cultists are considered to be mentally fatigued, either from past stress associated with the Evernight, or more recent trauma introduced during the Dawn Wars. Using this diagnosis, some researchers believe that the frail minded are being manipulated by cult leaders for some underlying purpose. Another, less popular notion has also emerged insinuating that members of this cult may have had their minds altered by the Spiders either mechanically, chemically, or psychically.